Crowdsource Recipe Testing: Cocktail Edition

How was everyone’s weekend? I can’t believe it’s already Sunday – time flies when you’re having fun! The fam and I went camping on Friday night and it was quite successful – the rain held off for the most part and the temperature was perfect for camping. Yesterday the little nugget and I went for a hike and got caught in the rain, but we got up close and personal with a deer so that made up for it. What kind of adventures did you have this weekend?

I’ll stop rambling now and move on to this week’s crowdsource theme.

Cocktails (or mocktails) are a must-have at summer get-togethers. So, with the long Memorial Day weekend on it’s way, I thought I’d dedicate this week’s Crowdsource post to just that: Cocktails. So many people grill out or have parties on Memorial Day weekend, that I figured some libation inspiration is just what we all needed.

Cocktails aren’t in need of much explanation, so, without further ado, here are some of the best cocktail ideas I’ve come across on the web:

Blueberry Smash – This simple yet bold cocktail would be perfect for making a large batch ahead of time and then serving out of a pitcher. All of the ingredients are things you probably have on hand already: blueberries, lemon, ginger ale, and rum – which makes this a very easy cocktail to put together. If you make a big batch you won’t have to spend all night playing bartender, which means more drinks for you!

Pacquiao’s Punch – I’m newly obsessed with simple syrup and this drink capitalizes on that. This drink is packed with bright citrus flavors and uses a ginger syrup that I’m sure you could find a ton of other uses for. With a little bite from the ginger and some tang from the citrus, this drink is sure to refresh even the thirstiest of party-goers.

Jalapeno Margarita – Here’s another one that can be prepped in a large batch so you don’t have to spend your night bartending. The kick from the jalapeno makes this a unique cocktail that your guests will love. The margarita is a summer staple around my house and I’m always looking for ways to take it to the next level – this is it!

Strawberry Mint Cooler – Yes, I know it’s a bit narcissistic, but I am going to include my own drink here. This cocktail is just too good to leave out. Honestly. The light strawberry flavor mixed with the ginger ale makes this drink a crowdpleaser and it also utilizes a simple syrup – win! Beware though – these may go down a little too easy, so drink responsibly, kids!

Southern-Style Grapefruit Gin and Juice – To me, no alcohol says ‘summer’ more than gin. Though I’m not a huge fan of it myself, many people in the husband’s family drink it often and it’s usually during the summer months so I’m always reminded of summer when I see gin. The addition of the grapefruit adds a nice citrus note that makes it even more summery.

I hope you are able to try out these cocktails next weekend! I know I’ll be mixing up a few for myself!

Gracious, I’m craving that ginger simple syrup. We’re pretty big gin drinkers over here (maybe it’ll grow on you if you drink it more?) and I unabashedly admit to keeping at least three kinds around for different purposes (usually Plymouth for general mixing, Hendricks for a gin and tonic with cucumber garnish, and Bulldog for gin and tonics with lime, as well as martinis).

Anyway, I should stop ranting about gin and start thinking up cocktail menus for the weekend. Ryan got a book for Christmas called Left Coast Libations with some pretty funky quaffs—perhaps we’ll have to try some of those, too. And the strawberry-mint cooler, of course!